J Korean Geriatr Psychiatry.  2001 Jun;5(1):50-57.

Reliability and Analysis of Symptom Category Scores of the Behavior Pathology in Alzheimer's Disease Rating Scale, Korean Version(BEHAVE-AD-K)

• Suh GH
• Son HG
• Shin H
• Kim IM
• Hong S
• Park J
• Choi IG
• Kim SK
• Yeon BK

Abstract

OBJECTIVE
The aims of this study were to (1) validate the inter-rater reliability of the BEHAVE-AD, Korean version, to (2) analyze the quantitative relationship between severity of Alzheimer's disease (AD) and mean scores on each of the BEHAVE-AD categories and mean total BEHAVE-AD score. DESIGN: Cross-sectional study of geriatric patients with AD evaluated at a mental hospital for the elderly. SAMPLE: Fifty-two consecutive patients diagnosed with probable Alzheimer's disease (AD) according to NINCDS-ADRDA diagnostic criteria.
RESULTS
In reliability study, significant correlations were obtained for all BEHAVE-AD symptoms category scores and for mean total BEHAVE-AD scores. Analysis of BEHAVE-AD scores as a function of disease severity demonstrated a non-linear relationship between severity of behavioral symptoms and the global and cognitive advance of AD. Score analysis of the BEHAVE-AD indicates that these behavioral disturbances become most severe in the moderate and moderately severe stages of AD.
CONCLUSION
All the results proved the cross-cultural validity and reliability of the BEHAVE-AD, Korean version. Furthermore, these results have implications for the methodology of pharmacological trials of putative cognitive enhancer compounds in AD.

Keyword

Alzheimer's disease; Dementia; Behavioral disturbances; Psychosis; Behavioral pathology

MeSH Terms

Aged
Alzheimer Disease*
Behavioral Symptoms
Cross-Sectional Studies
Dementia
Hospitals, Psychiatric
Humans
Pathology*
Psychotic Disorders
Reproducibility of Results